Mother's Day. With help from a few amazing moms.

This Mother's day I decided I wanted to hear from other mothers. So I decided to ask a few mothers for their help. I went for mothers all in different stages. From expecting, to adoptive, to a mother of one, to a mothers of more than one, to a mother who has lost and is so incredibly strong. Each one of these women has taught me something about being a mother. Each one has shown me examples of love and strength. I have cried with many of these women multiple times. We are all bonded together by motherhood. We ALL know how difficult and rewarding it is to be a mother. I asked each of these amazing moms two questions. What does it mean to you to be a mother? What is your favorite memory as a mother?




Andrea Snow
The lovely Jessica asked me to be a featured on her blog with other awesome mommies.I am going to be a first time mom in July and I cannot wait. What I am most excited for you ask? To be honest… everything!! I feel so blessed everyday to be pregnant with our little Henry. I am so excited to hear his first cry, see his little face for the first time, cuddle him, nurse him, and to raise him. I day dream about meeting him every day. I am already so in love with our little boy.

What does being a mother mean to me?It means everything to me. I grew up with the best mother. She is my greatest example of what a Mother should be like. My mother is loving, kind, generous, funny, and charitable, always my number one fan, positive, a woman of great Faith, and she is my best friend. If I can be half the Mother was she to me, then our little Henry will be blessed.Xo, Mrs. Snow

 

Kaila Pfeifer

For me, explaining what being a mother means to me is so hard because it is my absolutely everything. Every morning when I wake up and hear Hudson calling me from his room, or I feel this little one kicking in my womb, I am reminded that I have been given this absolutely amazing, overwhelming, unique, and incredible blessing to nurture, teach, and know what the love of being a mother is like. I am reminded, too, having gone through several losses, that motherhood is such a delicate and precious gift; a "job" not to be taken for granted or taken lightly. One of my favorite memories while being a mom is when Hudson heard this new baby's heartbeat in my tummy. I held the Doppler to my stomach and he heard his brother/sister in my womb, full of life, and his eyes just lit up! He smiled so big and hugged my tummy and said "Awww!" I know he is only two and probably doesn't realize to full capacity what being a big brother means, but it was just such a loving and tender moment!

Kristen Hunter

Ok finding the words to describe what it means to be a mom was harder than i thought. Before liam was born my fears were MINE . Now my fears are all about his safety and future decisions and being sure i teach him the things he needs to know and keeping him safe. Being a mom means loving someone else more than you ever thought possible beforehand. It means serving serving and more serving. It means always on the clock. Breakfast lunch dinner play time bath bedtime and all through the night. Its continually giving of yourself all day and all night . Its the hardest job but greatest sweetest ride. My sweetest memory was the day liam was born. He came out crying and immediately they put him on my chest i put my finger in his grasp and he grabbed onto it and didnt let go. Being a mom has been the hardest best decision of my life.

Erin Binford

Motherhood means unconditional and selfless love. My favorite memory as a mother is getting the call to let us know our son, who we didn't even know yet would be our son was born. Getting to hold him for the first time, looking at him and knowing that even though I wasn't the mother that carried him under her heart for 9 months, I was the mother that carried him my heart for years.

Danielle Snow

Being a mom has its crazy, frustrating, and exhausting moments. Especially when you feel like you feel like you have tried everything and yet you and your children are still not understanding each other. But their is this other side of it that you cannot fully understand until you experience. It is this love that is overwhelming and indescribable feeling that fills you and you feel that you just my explode. I cannot hug, snuggle, kiss and love on my kids enough. Even though I look forward to bed time... usually with in an hour of putting them too bed I literally ache to hold them and be near them.  My children challenge me to be better. I would not trade being a mom for anything. Their smiles, laughs, cute faces, funny words.....the list goes on.....they are priceless. The first time my children told me they loved me with out being prompted is probably one of my favorite moments and memories I have of my children.

Rhonda Fisher

My most favorite Mommy Memory is hearing Riley crying for the first time. With Rebecca and ReAnna I as put completely under for their c sections, so I never got to hear their first cries. Hearing Riley's made me cry, knowing how much I missed with my first two and how much I loved each and everyone of them.

Being a mom means raising kids that are respectful and hard working. Kids that people say "Those are some great kids!" Also making sure that they have a childhood that they love and never forget. My childhood sucked, so I want to be sure theirs is all they could hope for.

For me being a mom means being their for my children 24/7. It means making sure they know that I love them no matter what. That even though I may not agree with the things they do and say, I will always support them. That I am always there for them. Being a mom means I have the most important job. I am shaping the men these boys of mine turn into. I am responsible for teaching them right and wrong. I am the one who teaches them how to love. Being a mom is my everything. There is absolutely nothing I would rather be doing then raising my boys.

My favorite memory as a mom is when Little man came to the hospital to meet his new brother. I will never forget that moment. He was so excited and nervous. He was so gentle. He was so proud. He was so in love from the moment he looked at his brother for the first time. 

Each mother has the same fears. Each mother is the same at her core. Each mother is amazing and beautiful. Remember just how amazing you are. Happy Mother's day!

Be the best mommy you can be.

What kind of mother do you want to be?

A few weeks ago I had an interesting conversation with a fellow mother. We talked about our babies. We talked about how they slept. Where they were, milestone wise. How they were doing with feedings. How they were doing with baby food. At this point I heard " Oh you are that kind of mom. You really are trying too hard." I completely understood where she was coming from. Because that is completely something I know I have said to a mom at one point in time. Actually I can think of three separate occasions that come to mind. Do we really have to make it harder on our selves? I have thought back to that conversation many times in the last couple of weeks.

I am a mom who loves to take care of her children.  I am a co-sleeping, breastfeeding, cuddling, and baby food-making mom this time around. I have also been the crib sleeping, formula feeding, and Gerber food mom. Each child has and had their own likes and dislikes. I have been the best mom I could have been in both situations.

That statement really made me think. Are there really different kinds of moms? Or do we all do the what we feel is best for our children? I know for me having two different experiences I can say there aren't different kinds of moms. But rather a list of things that are important and things that are secondary.

For me as I have welcomed my second child I want to do more from scratch. I want to be more self sufficient. I admit it might have something to do with what is happening in the world around us. There may come a time in the future where a quick trip to the store might not be so easy. Lets face it. This world is getting worse instead of better. So for me I would much rather know how to do it myself.

I feel such joy watching my little one eat the fruits and veggies that I have made for him. I know his likes and dislikes. I love the look on his face when he takes the first bite of his favorite. How excited he gets when he sees his spoon and bowl coming towards him. I also love that it cost me a little less than $15 to make a month's worth.

But I have also felt those feelings when I fed Little Man store bought food. He still had his likes and dislikes. But he was also my first. I never even knew about the option of making his food for him. I stopped nursing him and switched to formula. I did the best I could. I still tried "too hard" to keep him happy. He never cried for longer then a few minutes. I was always right there when he needed me.

So yes I guess I am trying to hard. But isn't that the whole point of being a mom? The real question we should be asking ourselves is "What kind of mom do you want your children to see and know?"

I want my children to see me as a mom who loves them unconditionally. A mom who loves walking in to wake them up and see their smiling face. A mom who loves making a mess while making cookies. A mom who takes time for herself. A mom who tries again after a failed attempt. A mom who loves to cook for them. A mom who loves to make things for them. A mom who loves their father with all her heart. A mom who knows what it is like to suffer. A mom who has no doubt that God lives. A mom who isn't afraid to cry in front of them, and for that matter who isn't afraid to show her emotions. A mom who will always be there. A mom who will always kiss boo boos. A mom who will sing and dance with them. A mom who will not be afraid to talk about when they disappoint her. A mom who continues to try new things. A mom who is their biggest cheerleader. A mom who will always scare away the monsters. A mom who will always be the referee in fights. A mom who doesn't choose sides. A mom who doesn't play favorites. A mom who will teach them how to treat a women. A mom who will teach them the importance of service. A mom will teach them how to ask for help.

 There are so many more things I want to teach these sweet boys of mine. One thing for sure, there is no such thing as trying to hard. What you put in is what you get. I am blessed and beyond grateful for my boys. Now it is my turn to teach them.

Be the best mommy you can be.

Our visit to Hawaii

It has been a month since our amazing trip to Hawaii. I figured it is probably time to write about it and share some pictures. We had an amazing 5 days on Maui. It was truly one of the most relaxing vacations I have ever been on.

This trip was the first time either of our boys had been on a airplane. I was so incredibly nervous about little man. He is very active. I was so concerned that he wasn't going to handle being in the seat for so long. I was also concerned about how him using the potty was going to go. But he did great. For the trip we got him a kids sized backpack. I filled that will tons of activities and snacks. In his bag he had his iPad and headphones, loaded with his favorite movies. He also had a coloring book, stickers, markers, a new Cars look and find book, toy cars and a new toy. He was so excited when he looked in his bag and could see all the fun activities I surprised him with. For squeaks I packed a few toys. An extra outfit. His favorite blanket and a nursing cover. He only fussed when he was hungry and even then was very short. Also any moms who travel with infants, I suggest baby wearing. It made it so much easier to get around the airport! Plus, if you wear them you don't have to take them off to get through security. They do have to swab your hand but it was so nice to not have to take him off!

 I promise squeaks was loving being in the carrier.

 How's that for a view? We pretty much lived out there.

Only a short walk to the beach. 

 So this was the lobby in our hotel. It was so amazing to walk into this. So beautiful. We actually spent a lot of time in the lobby because of how beautiful it was. It was so peaceful to just sit there and listen to the waterfall. Behind it was the pool.

 Getting our feet in the ocean for the first time!

 So our hotel had the best pools. They also had tubes for sale. So of course I got one for little man. It definitely came in handy.

 It rained for one whole day without let up while we were there. So it was a very lazy day on our balcony. But it was so amazing.

 Lots of virgin drinks were had. This is a lava flow so good!

 He loved building castles. He and Ben got really good at making them.

 He also became obsessed with the ocean.

 Our cute little family of 4. Love that we had Grandma and Grandpa with us.

 Day one we had an amazingly hard time getting him to play in the water. Day 4 we could not get this kid out of the water. He would have stayed all day if he could have. He had so much fun running in and out.

 If you are ever in Maui you absolutely have to go to Star Noodle. OH my goodness you will not be disappointed. It was so worth it.

 Making chairs in the sand. These guys of mine. They had a blast.

 Who said pool food has to be simple. Oh man this was so good. So at our hotel you could forgo maid service and get a $5 voucher to use on food. So you better believe we did that. By the last day we $15 in vouchers. So we used them by the pool. Those nachos, uh, so amazing. I would go back just for those.

 No trip would be complete without a family selfie.

 May not have loved using it in the pool. But he definitely loved using it as a seat in our room.

 Our hotel had strollers that you could use for free. Oh man so glad we found that out. It saved my back.

 We were able to sneak away for a lovely dinner. One perk to having grandma and grandpa with us. It was so nice to sneak away and be together. We got to go with the group of franchise owners who were there. It was so much fun to visit, sip a pina colada and enjoy some adult time.

 My little beach buddy.

 Mommy's bracelet made a great toy.

So in the amazing lobby of our hotel they had coy fish! Every morning at 9 you could go down and feed them. So you better believe we totally fed them everyday after we found that out. Little man had so much fun throwing in the food and watching them attack it.

Everyone has asked us what we did while we were there. In all honesty we didn't DO a whole lot. But we ATE a whole lot. I may not have a lot of fun tips on what to do. But I can tell you where you should eat. This trip was so needed. I am so glad we got so many pictures this isn't even half of them! Hope you enjoyed looking at them as much as I enjoyed looking back on them.


Be the best mommy you can be!

Why I choose to open up a shop.

I have been asked countless times in the past few months why I decided to open up my own mommy shop. I have never really had a great answer, but I think I have finally landed on it. Sure, I think a lot of people think it's for the extra money, but in all honesty, I would do it all for free if I was able to. 

I opened my shop because I love to sew. I am in no way the best. But over the past few months I have surprised myself with all that I have learned. I went from feeling in no way comfortable sewing anything without a pattern to making my own patterns and loving it. It has gotten to the point where if I see something I like my first thought is "How much would it cost if I made it?"

 I have loved learning so many new techniques like the correct way to use a seam ripper. I had no idea I have been using it wrong! But let me tell you I had. I have actually learned what all the dials and knobs on my machine mean. I have also learned that sewing machines are not easy to take apart (They are even harder to put back together)! I have learned to keep my fingers away from the foot and needle. Boy, does it hurt if you are not paying attention!

I have learned about fabric. Which blends work for which projects. I have learned how to price items for sale. I have learned the hard way that you can not please everyone. I have learned that sometimes you need to ask for help. I have learned that my husband does know a thing or two about sewing. Shout out to my awesome sister-in-laws and mother-in-law who helped him learn!

I have learned that you can seam rip, sew, feed elastic, cut fabric and pin while holding a fussy baby. I have learned that nursing while your little one is in a carrier is possible (necessary if you need to head to the fabric store). I have learned countless employees names. I have learned to put myself out there and do things that are out of my comfort zone. I have learned way too many employees' names at the fabric store. I have learned how to truly master using coupons to get the most bang for your buck. I have learned that sometimes less is more. I have learned that there can be hurt feelings when you open a shop. I have learned that not everyone has nice things to say, but that everyone is free to feel the way they feel. I have learned that every mom deserves to have a say in their baby items, to have a say in exactly which fabric and print is used. I have learned that helping another mama out is more payment then you will ever need. I have learned that there are moms out there who you may not know personally but who will become some of your biggest supporters. 

I have learned to ask the hard questions. I have learned that fabric will hide the tears you have shed on it. I have learned that the hum of the sewing machine will hide the sound of your sobs. I have learned that sometimes the best way to work through problems is to sit down and finish a project. 

So if you haven't guessed the real answer to that question I will tell you: The real reason I opened up a shop is to learn about myself. To grow. To become a better mother and a better person. I have already learned so many amazing lessons. I know that each experience I have had has taught me how to be a better person. I know that it has given me a reason to be excited. I know it has given me something that is all my own. I know it has helped me do the one thing that has always been my goal: Helping other moms. 

Be the best mommy you can be.

Squeaks is here!

It has been two month since we welcomed our little squeaks. This post is way over due. I have been meaning to write it for awhile. But never got around to it. Now as I sit here wide awake it's time. 

Beckett Darrell Phillips was born October 8 at 5:39 pm. He weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz and 19 1/2 inches.

Since I was scheduled for a repeat csection. That day was full of nerves. I really relished in my last day of it just being me and LM. We did a lot of snuggling. When the time came to take him to grandmas I had a very hard time leaving. Because I knew it would no longer just be he and I. But I was so excited for the new adventure we were embarking on. 

I am so glad I got one last picture with him. I will forever cherish the look of excitement. He knew it was time to get a brother.

We arrived at the hospital an hour earlier then we were suppose to. Oops. I'll blame that on pregnancy brain. It gave us time for one last belly shot. Then time to calm my nerves. 

Once they took me back we had about two hours before my appointment time. This gave them time to get me dressed. Get my IV started. Then go over everything with me. My nerves really started to get to me and my blood pressure started to get really high. I started having contractions. Which really started to hurt. So it was a good thing I was at the hospital! They got my all hooked up and then it was just time to wait. They had the anesthesiologist come in and talk with me. I got even more nervous and had a very uncomfortable feeling. More on that later. Then we waited some more. It got to be 4:50 and I still had yet to see my doctor. Which made me nervous. They can't take you back to prep you till your doctor checks on you. But right on cue he walked through the door. I was instantly at peace. I would trust him no matter what was going on. He was an amazing doctor. He spoke with us and then told the nurse it was time.  

 

The hospital underwent a complete remodel since I had LM. So the walk was very quick to the OR. Once inside I was greeted by a rush of cold air. My nerves really started to kick in. This was the moment I had been dreading my whole pregnancy. The spinal. With LM it was quick. First attempt and he was done. This was not the case. After 14 attempts, yes you read that right, I was finally numb. Each attempt he would hit bone. I had amazing nurses who tried to help me through it. They held me as I cried in pain. Reassured me that it was going to be ok. Told me I was doing everything I was asked of. It just wasn't going right. After the sixth attempt my doctor left the room. A half hour after starting I was finally numb. 

This time was different from LM. I felt as if my legs were asleep. Not numb but asleep. Which made me start to panic. Ben was not in the room yet. It was just me and the staff. They put the blue divider up and this is where things went from bad to worse for me. I immediately started to have a panic attack. I have never had one this bad before. I began thrashing on the table. Yelling I was "done". I didn't want to do it. I changed my mind. Finally Ben was able to start to calm me down. But my body was not done. I started to feel like I was going to throw up. Let's just say my body won. Then squeaks was out and I was able to relax. Looking at him for the first time calmed me down enough to get to the end of the surgery. They wrapped him up and handed him to Ben. He looked so much like LM. I was so in love again. Once I was done and moved over to the transport they handed me squeaks. It was amazing to get to hold him so quickly. With LM it was almost two hours before I got to hold him. Squeaks never really left my side. Which is what I needed. 

Once we made it to recovery they told me I would get to do skin to skin. Squeaks had other ideas. He was ready to eat. While I'm recovery her ate on both sides. For almost the entire time. Only stopping when it was time for his bath. Which he hated! I think all babies do. But once he was all cleaned up he was ready for more. 

Then it was time to move me to my room. I swear because of the remodel it took forever. They had to keep using different elevators because there wasn't one in use that went to where my room was. Once in my room it was time to transfer to my bed. I had yet to try and move my legs because with LM it took forever to get feeling back. They asked if I could use my arms to transfer myself to my bed. I felt great, so I said " Of course!". Well to be sure one of the nurses asked if I could move my feet. She had rested her hand on my legs. My legs started to move, so in my mind I thought she moved them. I thought there was no way I could already be able to move. Well I did. She laughed and said " I guess you can." To which I responded " wait that was me? Oh yay!" I completely took her by surprise. I don't think she had ever seen anyone so happy that they moved their legs. We all ended up in a laughing fit. Once we were finished they helped as I moved myself onto my bed. Got me cleaned up and settled. I started to have really bad hot flashes so they had to put cold towels on me to cool me down. Once my nurse felt comfortable that I was ok, LM and my parents were allowed back. 

LM was so excited to see his brother that my parents got to the hospital sooner then expected. But that gave them time to talk with him about everything he was going to see. When the nurse gave the ok they headed up. I heard a knock at the door and LM entered. He instantly looked so big compared to the tiny newborn I was holding. He was so happy to see that I was ok. He then got to see his brother for the first time. He was very unsure, but not scared. Just uncertain. Cue his big brother gift. Before I had squeaks, LM began to really get into super heroes. So I decided to get him a cape. I'm preparation for getting a new brother I told him how he would have to be a super hero and help mommy with brother. So getting the cape just made it all real. He loved running around the room with it on. Then he gently climbed into bed with me so he could hold brother. He was very unsure. He was so gentle. We were able to get a few photos and then he was done. My parents held squeaks and then left. 

Squeaks got his nickname the first night. He would make these adorable little squeaks each time he would stretch. So his nickname was an easy one to come by. My hospital stay was pretty smooth. I was there the full length of time I could be after a c section. I made sure to get a milkshake with almost every meal. Superior dairy ice cream! They were so good. Ben was able to stay with me the entire time. Which was so helpful when I needed to get out of bed. We were able to watch a lot of movies together and just enjoy our little squeaks. LM came to visit at least two times a day. At least once a day he would go walk the halls with just Ben and I. My parents would hold squeaks. I personally thunk that made the transition so much easier for LM. Because from the beginning we made time for just him. We had so many loved ones visit which was nice. Because this time I wanted to talk to people. I so wanted to be social. 

I am so grateful that everything turned out like it did. I am so in love with my squeaks. My heart feels whole with him in my life. Our family feels complete. We all enjoy having him around so much. LM is completely in love with his brother. We are extremely happy.

Be the best mommy you can be.